Wolverhampton Music Service has been recognised for the excellent level of support it gives to the city’s young musicians at this year’s West Midlands Association for Directors of Children’s Services Network’s Team Excellence Awards. It was one of 15 teams and organisations from across the region to be showcased at the annual event, which celebrates and enables councils to share best practice.
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “Our Music Service does a fantastic job, inspiring and educating thousands of children and young people every week, and I am delighted that it has been recognised for its work by the West Midlands Association for Directors of Children’s Services.”
IMPACT IN THE LAST YEAR
Schools:
It delivered 499 hours in 82 (of 106) schools, to over 6,877 children every week (highest ever annual delivery hours). Although a traded service with huge reach into schools, 100% of schools benefitted from its other free Programmes of support in 2024.
Groups: It provided 15 weekly musical groups with a membership of 522 pupils each week at no cost to local families or schools.
Pupil Data: Pupil engagement data gathered on the children participating in its services broadly matches the city’s ethnic profile demonstrating its equity across all wards. It was recognised by Arts Council for its innovative data collection an invited to share its processes to other Hubs in May 2024.
Performance: Its staff performed concerts to 54 primary schools in May during our #LiveMusicWton week bringing the joy of live music to children.
Events: It curated four large scale events at The Halls Wolverhampton. In February, a combined orchestra of adults and Young people led to a 107 piece orchestra providing free orchestral concerts for KS3. Later in May, a huge vocal project culminated in the Signing in the Halls event. Over 80 schools and 7,000 local primary and secondary pupils attended these events.
Partnership: It has five core partners who provided additional Youth Theatre shows, rock and pop projects, Inclusive music making sessions for special schools, Indian music provision and CPD for schools.
Inclusive practice: It has an EDI staff group since 2020 that has changed the practice considerably so that BSL interpreting is standard at all largescale events; Special Schools have their own relaxed concerts with Welsh National Opera (May 2025); and all staff are trained in Mental Health First Aid and Attachment. Musical Excellence sits alongside inclusion. In 2024 it created a band of Children and Young People in Care to support the awards event recognizing the achievements of these young people.
Broadening experiences: Successful overseas tour to Italy for our senior groups involved 66 students undertaking 3 concerts during the summer holidays.